A Thief's Honor
by Ava Chanel
Summary: Upon first glance, Inara finds herself fascinated by both Serenity and her rather unorthodox captain. Mild Mal/Inara fluff.


**A/N: **_Just a little piece on how and why Inara chose Serenity and its captain since it was never really mentioned in the series. _

"_All this life is all for love,  
It's the only road I'll choose,  
And every street and avenue,  
Only one will lead me to you..."_

-All of Me, Angus & Julia Stone

**A Thief's Honor**

**Summary:** Upon first glance,Inara finds herself fascinated by both Serenity and her rather unorthodox captain. Mild Mal/Inara fluff.

Persephone had been so good to her. Business was always booming and she fit right in with all the socialites. It was a lifestyle she could quickly get used to. Technically speaking, the planet was made for a Companion like Inara. She had left her home behind in an effort to see the other planets of the universe. Planets like Persephone. But now that she had seen it and garnered enough loyal clients for another visit, she was all but ready to continue her adventure. She thought that maybe she'd grow satisfied with a world as lovely as this one, maybe even settle and call it home. Surely, a Companion like herself would never be out of a job. But Inara had made up her mind and her bags were already packed and ready to go. All she needed now was a ship willing to have her on board for the ride.

And so she had found herself in the dirtier parts of the town with more impoverished folk and hard looking men walking about. Neither of which truly frightened her. If anything, she was the one receiving the looks for her obvious status that was easily marked by the clothing she wore and the lace, black veil that obscured most of her face. She didn't pay attention to the stares and instead, focused on the massive space ships parked in the distance, each one gleaming and boasting of a different adventure to be had. She was amazed by them and their size. Often, she would pause and look up, trying to take in each and every ship and its unique shape. They all had their own individual appeal. But like many passenger ships, they were all worn down in their own ways as well.

She wandered from ship to ship, staring up at them and listening to the men and women throwing the sales pitch for their vessels. Before having left her home of Sihnon, she had never stepped onto a space ship before and therefore, she had found the entire experience so exhilarating and liberating. Up above, there was nothing but the endless, black sky riddled with millions of burning stars and a promise of worlds unknown. Then there was the fact that she would have her own freedom to go where she pleased as well as have clients all over the universe. Unfortunately, most of the ships taking passengers today were just cargo ships, which meant they'd drop her off at a single destination and leave. It wasn't a terrible situation but it did usually leave her stranded for a bit of time when she didn't have any business. Of course, there were the odd models that would have shuttles but it wasn't unheard of that most captains piloting those ships were greedy, especially to a wealthy and respectable Companion.

So Inara continued to wander, admiring the ships and not quite knowing what it was she was really looking for. It wasn't until she reached the end of the line that she saw it. The Firefly. It was an old ship, rare and clunky but not considered something of a treasure. From what she had heard, the Firefly was the perfect ship for smugglers and criminals. She would have assumed it would be completely unappealing but she stood there for a few minutes, simply staring at its unique shape. It certainly stood out amongst all the others and there was something about it that had Inara wondering if this could be the ship. She noted that it indeed had at least two shuttles, one on each side. She walked around it and inspected it from other angles, taking in all its sharp lines and bold shapes. Perhaps most people wouldn't have looked twice at it, especially a Companion who was used to luxury and class. Yet Inara wasn't too picky when it came to ships being flashy and the like. She just needed something homey.

She wondered if she could strike up a deal or a good bargain with the captain of the ship for one of the shuttles. She would need to meet with him or her before making any hasty decisions, though. Inara finally brought her vision back to ground and glanced about the ship only to note that there wasn't a soul in sight. The door was locked up and, unlike the other ships, there was no one making any valiant effort of gathering passengers for the trip. Normally, this would have set Inara off, perhaps hunting for another ship where the crew wasn't so ill prepared. But even as she tried to walk away, her eyes would return to the strange ship, transfixed. Suddenly, it was like nothing else really compared. She wanted to board that ship, see what it was like on the inside, see what made it different. It also made her intensely curious about the captain and crew.

Inara found herself in front of it again, ignoring all the pitches she heard from crews of other ships that were trying to convince her to tag along. Instead, she looked around her again for any sign of the people who ran the Firefly. She saw a girl, pretty and young and face slightly smeared with what looked to be engine grease, walking towards the ship. She had exited a tiny bar from down the street and was humming to herself as she made way to where Inara stood. She twirled a colourful sun umbrella above her head as she walked, seemingly somewhere else than in this dreary part of town. Inara watched her and couldn't help but smile.

She looked up and smiled at Inara once she saw her standing before the ship, greeting her shortly after, "Well, hello there!"

"Hello." Inara replied courteously, still wearing a light smile.

The girl's bright eyes moved past her to ogle the ship this time, "I see you been admirin' my girl. Ain't she just a beauty?"

Inara saw the way the girl's eyes lit up when she looked at the ship and understood that she wasn't the only one mesmerized by it.

"Yes, she certainly is magnificent. What's her name?" Inara asked, not looking away from the Firefly.

"Name's Serenity, miss. And mine's Kaylee. Nice to meet ya!" The mousy brunette exclaimed, extending a dirty hand in Inara's direction.

She shook it and said, "Inara. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Kaylee."

The girl beamed at her and said, "Lookin' for a ride, miss Inara? Serenity's the smoothest out there! Ain't a better ship in the galaxy than this ol' girl. She's reliable and sturdy and if you love her, she loves ya right back!"

Inara's smile widened and she replied, "Please, you can call me Inara. And as a matter of fact, I am interested in speaking with your captain about a possible arrangement."

Kaylee's small mouth opened wide, like her hazel eyes as she took in what Inara had said. And then she pouted before saying, "Don't think you'd really wanna be talkin' to the cap'n just about now. He's a bit busy in the bar over there. But I'm sure he wouldn't mind you comin' aboard!"

Just like that, Kaylee was giddy again, her hands clasped together in front of her as she looked at Inara with sheer admiration.

"It'd sure be nice to have another girl on Serenity. 'Specially one as pretty as you, Inara." Kaylee suddenly looked bashful, shuffling her feet in the dirt, her eyes trained on her black combat boots.

"That's really sweet of you. Unfortunately, as much as I appreciate it, Kaylee, there are still some things I need to go over with your captain first. You said he's in the bar, right?" Inara asked, still wearing a charming smile.

Kaylee sighed and nodded her head, "Yup. You might wanna wait a bit, though. Cap'n can get real mean and scary when he's been drinkin'."

Inara's smile faltered and she raised a single dark brow in question, "He's drunk?"

Kaylee was quick to the defensive, shaking her head and waving her hands in front of her, "No, no! The cap'n don't really get drunk. I mean, he tries real hard to be this big gorram fool but he's really just a big ol' softie. You'll see. He might take some gettin' used to, but he really ain't that bad."

Inara was suddenly feeling apprehensive about meeting this unorthodox captain and getting on the ship he owned. Even if Serenity was an intriguing ship, Inara wasn't entirely sure any shuttle was worth dealing with a captain of that sort. She eyed the bar wearily and chewed on her bottom lip nervously. Then again, it wasn't like she had much to lose by simply talking to the man. That way, she could get a sense of where he was at and then make a call.

She turned and thanked Kaylee, "I suppose I'll be right back then."

Kaylee smiled and nodded at her, seeming suddenly optimistic about the situation. It was strange, the way she had talked to Inara. It had been almost like she couldn't tell that she was a Companion. Either way, Inara had found it refreshing to meet such a happy girl who wasn't in the same line of work. She could feel her eyes on her back as she walked gracefully towards the bar. When she reached it, she noted how run down the place looked. It was gritty and dirty and poor. The sign was so faded and coming apart that Inara couldn't even make out what the name of it was. She glanced down at what she was wearing and mentally prepared herself for the hungry stares she was bound to receive. A bar full of loud, rowdy and drunk men was certainly no place for a Companion but Inara had dealt with worse. So she pushed open the door and walked inside, wondering how she was going to spot the captain of the Firefly.

As she walked in, a few men turned their heads in her direction, watching her the way wolves watched their prey. Their eyes followed her and she could feel them examining her body. It was enough to make anyone uncomfortable and it did make Inara a little bit wary. She really just wanted to find this captain and be on her way before things got ugly. She looked around, not really knowing what it was she was looking for. Somehow, she thought he would stand out, a man who captained a ship like the Firefly. Yet, the bar was crawling with brigands and thieves, any of which could have been him. Inara cursed herself for not asking Kaylee for some sort of specifics about the man.

Thankfully, none of the men bothered Inara, aside from a few stares and whispers. Most of them were deeply distracted, crowding around, drinking and cheering. It caught her attention and Inara moved closer to examine what the ruckus was about. The man at the centre of it all was tall and intimidating. He was built thick with muscles and most of the bare skin of his arms was inked with tattoos. He was completely bald and the lines on his face dictated a long, hard life. His eyes were a dark blue, beady and weighed down by thick brows. Despite that, he was smiling amiably at the crowd, very obviously intoxicated from the sway in his step. Most importantly, he had a single arm wrapped around the shoulders of a young girl. Inara stared at her, watching her curiously. There weren't really many females in the bar, let alone one as young looking as this one. She was petite, blonde and doe eyed. She couldn't have even been past her teens. On top of that, she looked terrified. Her eyes were wide and they darted around the room nervously. She was pressed up against the body of the large man but it didn't look like she wanted to be there. All of the colour seemed to have drained from her face and, if you paid enough attention, she was trembling.

"How's about a toast to my blushin' new bride!" The bald man cried, raising his drink in the air.

The other men cheered and raised their drinks to the sky as well. Inara almost cringed; the girl looked to be half his age if that. The Companion had a whole slew of older clients she was fond of, but they were all of her choice. From the looks of things, the blonde, petite girl had not made the decision to be wed to this man.

"She's a real pretty, capt'n!" One of the men cried, leering at the girl in question with a devious grin.

The captain stared down at her with his beady eyes and his hand came behind her to grab her backside, making her jump in shock. The men all laughed harder at her reaction and she stood there, flushed with embarrassment.

This was the captain? He was absolutely atrocious in every way. He was lewd, lecherous, disrespectful and everything that Inara hated in a man. How he could even board the same ship as someone as sweet as Kaylee was beyond her. Then again, perhaps she was another young girl he was taking advantage of in a similar manner. Had Kaylee known and maybe not wanted Inara to see him in such a way? She recalled Kaylee's words about the man and was having trouble understanding how anyone could justify this behaviour. It would also mean that she had lied to her, seeing as how he was evidently very drunk indeed. Inara was just about finished with the crew of the Firefly and made to step out of the bar for good to be on her way. She would find another ship because this one was obviously not for her. And maybe, she'd get a hold of the authorities to help out the poor, young girl who was ensnared by such a vicious man, too. But when she turned on her heel in a fit, she smacked right into someone's chest. His hands came to her shoulders as to prevent her from reeling.

"'Scuse me, ma'am." He apologized, moving past her.

Inara hadn't looked up to see his face but was a little surprised at how easily he brushed her aside. She turned to look at him but was met with his back. All Inara saw was the flow of his long, faded brown jacket and the freshly cut soft brown hair. A tall, dark skinned woman with curly dark hair pushed past her without a glance as well, but there was concern in her eyes as she followed the brown coat. Behind her still was a highly intimidating man. He was tall, muscular and there was something frightening in his eyes when he smiled. No doubt, he had a taste for violence but he followed nonetheless. Suddenly, Inara found herself rooted to the spot, wondering what was going to happen. Her eyes followed the man who had bumped her as he came up to the bald, sputtering captain.

He walked right up to the blonde girl and yanked her right out from under the captain's grasp, causing him to stumble backwards. The bar got a lot quieter then and Inara wondered if maybe she should have left. There was nothing really there for her anymore, anyways. But she was rooted to the spot and couldn't move, despite knowing what was best for her.

"Jus' what in the gorram hell do ya think yer doin'?!" The captain shouted, taking a sloppy step forward.

The man in the brown coat smiled charismatically but he still had a hold on the girl's arm, who was now looking even more frightened than ever. Her eyes danced between the two men and she seemed desperate to break free and run away. Inara noticed that the two who come in with him were nowhere to be seen anymore.

"Takin' back what's mine, sir." He stated quite simply.

The captain glared heatedly at him and snarled, "She ain't yers! Now give her back here and I won't be havin' a need to hurt ya."

The brunette shook his head, still smiling, "I don't think you really get it. We had a deal. You didn't hold up your end. So I'm takin' what's rightfully mine. And this girl, she's quite a pretty, ain't she?"

He stroked a piece of golden hair from her pale face and looked down into her eyes with affection and attraction. Inara was starting to feel sick. It didn't seem there was a single man in the room who wasn't driven by his hormones. But things started to escalade when the captain revealed the gun in his holster, his fingers hovering dangerously close to the butt. But before anyone could even move, another gun cocked and the curly haired woman was suddenly behind the captain and pointing her weapon right at the back of his head.

"I wouldn't try anything stupid right now if I were you." She threatened.

The man in the brown coat, still smiling, took a bow before the captain.

"Pleasure doin' business with you, sir." He mocked.

The blonde girl made to run but the other man who had the violence in his eyes had her in his strong grip before she got very far. He grinned down at her much like the big bad wolf. No one really moved when there was a gun pointed at a man's head and so, no one stopped the three from making an exit. The woman still had her gun trained on her target even as her men cleared the bar. He walked right past her this time, the man with the brown coat, and he still did not acknowledge her presence. He was followed shortly by his man and the stumbling girl. The curly haired woman was the last to clear out, her back to the exit and her gun still focused on those around her, threatening them if they dared move.

"Our gunship is waiting outside. You can risk coming after us but don't blame us if you're riddled with bullets instead." She said right before she stepped out.

As soon as they were gone, glasses broke, shouting ensued and a lot of cursing could be heard. Inara didn't wait another moment; she bolted out amongst the ruckus before the attention was turned to her. She took in a deep breath as cool air filtered through her veil and sunlight poured over her skin.

"Please, please let me go! I'm beggin' you! Please! Don't take me on no ship! I'm not useful! My father...my father can tell ya that!" Inara heard the girl cry.

She turned to watch her struggle against the large man who had her in his grip, dragging her along with him every step of the way. Tears streaked her pale cheeks and she hiccupped and fell on the ground, crying. Inara looked around for the gunship but there wasn't any and the dark skinned woman had holstered her gun. She was looking at the girl with furrowed brows, clearly worried. Then, she looked to the man in the brown coat, who had come to a standstill now, arms folded over his chest.

He turned then and glared at the man holding the young girl hostage. The look and the tone of his voice when he spoke his name was enough of a threat, "Jayne."

Jayne clicked his tongue and dropped the girl, walking away. She fell to the floor then, a hysterical mess. She sobbed uncontrollably, her short yellow hair obscuring some of her face. The man in the brown coat bent down to her level then and outstretched a single, gloved hand.

"Take it. Should be just about enough to get ya home. Don't be comin' back here anytime soon, as a word of advice. Go on. Take it and go." He said.

The girl looked up into his face, her crying slightly quelled for the time being. He urged her on and eventually, her trembling fingers took what it was he was giving her and in moments, she was up and running off into the distance.

"Seems we've still got a bit of a problem, captain." The woman said, watching after the girl.

The man sighed, stood up and said, "I'll deal with Jayne later."

That was when her eyes, instead, fell on Inara, cool and observant.

"I wasn't talking about Jayne, sir." She stated.

Inara felt uncomfortable, realizing what it must have seemed with her spying on them the entire time. He looked at her then too and her breath caught in her throat. The woman's hand was instinctively at her gun and Inara took an involuntary step backwards.

"Hold it, Zoe. She's unarmed." He said.

He walked towards her and asked, "Somethin' we can do for you, ma'am? I don't take too kindly to spies."

There was suspicion in his light blue eyes and his hands were at his hips, the wind playing with both his sandy brown hair and the faded coat. Inara stood up straight and removed the veil that covered her face. His eyes widened a little when he saw her but he didn't say anything.

In the background, Zoe murmered, "A Companion?"

Inara nodded, "I'm no spy. My name is Inara."

The captain quirked up an eyebrow and seemed to look at her differently.

"Okay, Inara. That still don't explain why you've been watchin' us." He said.

Inara smiled then, "I'm assuming you're the captain of that Firefly over there?"

He didn't answer right away, looking over to what was, undoubtedly, his ship and then back at her.

"So what if I am? What's it to you, anyways?" He questioned her.

It was clear the man had a reputation and it was one he was desperate to keep. He was a bit of a mystery and he wanted it to stay that way. That much, Inara could read off of him.

She smoothed out her skirts and said, "You look like a business man, Captain. And I'm a business woman. Maybe, we can work something out in regards to your ship."

He smirked and said, "Sorry, but my ship ain't for sale. 'Sides, what would a woman...like _you_ want with a Firefly?"

She continued to smile despite his brashness and said, "I'm not looking to buy her from you. I'm simply interested in renting out one of your shuttles for my business purposes."

A look of confusion crossed his face and he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. She had rendered him speechless.

Finally, he seemed to find his voice, "You...my ship? I'm sorry but ain't you a bit too high class for a Firefly?"

"I'm renting out your shuttle, not your ship. I would, however, like to see it before I make a decision. We can talk business afterwards." Inara stated.

He seemed to contemplate it for a minute, bringing his hands to his chin and scratching the light bit of stubble that was there.

"Even after what you just saw, you'd want to do business with me, Inara?" He asked her, playing up an intimidating charm.

She smiled genuinely at him and her dark eyes lit up, "Captain, it is especially because of what I just saw that I am doing business with you."

She saw Zoe's mouth twitch into a small smile and Inara knew everything she needed to know; she wasn't scared of them. These were not cold hearted killers. They may have been thieves perhaps but they were not like the rest of the men in the bar. The captain may have liked playing it up as to ward off any sign of weakness but Inara finally came to understand what Kaylee had told her about him.

At first, she had thought she had been foolish, following a captain into a filthy bar in the slums; a place where the men shared their spoils, even if they were people. But this man was different. He was full of surprises. He wasn't afraid of going into a place like that, acting the role of petty criminal and holding a gun to someone's head with intention of murder. But he also wasn't the kind of man who would take advantage of a helpless girl. That was when Inara knew. She knew she had made the right decision; this was the ship and this was her captain.

"Capt'n Malcolm Reynolds. But save me the titles and just call me Mal." He said.

And then he turned and walked away towards the ship known as Serenity. She stared at his back and wondered about the man. Zoe was behind him in moments but she did spare Inara a small, approving smile before taking up beside him, their voices too low to carry. Kaylee ran towards them in excitement and greeted them with a wide grin. She then looked over Mal's shoulder and waved at Inara. The Companion waved back and started walking towards the ship as well.

She stared up at it all over again and she was overcome with excitement anew. The difference this time was that the line blurred when she tried to think of whether her feelings were for the magnificent ship or the equally intriguing man who captained her. It didn't really matter; she'd unravel the mystery behind both soon enough.

_**-fin**_

**A/N: **_There it is. When I watched the episode "Out of Gas" and saw the way Inara and Mal discussed renting out the shuttle that would eventually become hers, I couldn't help but feel it was incomplete. It seemed they had met before and it didn't seem like a ship Inara would have chosen. So I thought, there must have been something that drew her to him and the ship. And what better than seeing Mal at his finest? I always assume Inara has seen men use and dispose of women, especially men like Mal who are basic thieves and brigands. So when she sees Mal actually do something different and treat a woman with some respect, she's drawn to him. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! :) As usual, feedback is welcomed. _


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